Do You Believe in Fate?
by ZephyrLemon
Summary: Did Trinity and Neo have a deep connection even before they ever met? Will Neo's answer to Morhpeus's question always be no? Pre-during-post movie.
1. Default Chapter

A/N: It's hard to believe I'm finally posting this! I started writing this about a year and a half ago. It took me 10 months (of pretty consistent writing) to finish it! My immense thanks go out to Scottishlass, Ibonekoen, as well as Rae - all of whom I hold in the highest literary respect. Scottishlass gave up her own precious time to beta for me, Ibonekoen was always there to encourage me and give me ideas when I was blocked. =) I had set this aside for some time and was actually not going to post this, then prompted by Rae I took another look at it. I realized then that it was a lot better than I'd remembered! For that reason, you're now reading the first fan fic I ever wrote, even though I have a bunch posted already. At long last, enjoy! 

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"Do You Believe in Fate?"

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Chapter I

She was scared, in fact she was too frightened to move. Her senses numbed so she felt little aside from increasing terror knotting in her gut, the dull pain behind her eyes from ceasing to blink, the pressure in her chest as she denied it movement to breath, all moisture lost from inside her mouth, her throat compressing, and her heart pulsating with erratic but augmenting intensity as the adrenaline flushed her blood cold. 

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Crack, crack, crack - the knuckles of his hand popped as he faced her with his stony, malevolent stare. 

The sound made her aware of the lack of oxygen in her lungs. With a sharp inhalation she drew in the life giving air. At once she blinked her eyes, though only for a fraction of a second. Suddenly his head jerked, tearing his glare from her and placing it on the wall opposite them, as he listened with an appearance of annoyance and anger to his earpiece transmitting information to his database. 

Without daring to take her eyes off him, she slowly let her breath out in an attempt to quell the pounding of her heart. 

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Never had a more welcome sound been heard by anyone, nor been heard at a more crucial moment she realized as the shrill ring came from a mere few feet behind her. The short distance seemed almost immeasurable, though, as his glassy, unblinking eyes met with her fear filled ones at the unexpected noise. His thin lips centered below his high cheekbones showed no emotion, but his indifference almost scared her more. It meant he would not feel the slightest remorse in instantly ending her life, the life so newly released from the dream world she'd been trapped in for so long. 

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Go, NOW! She told herself, for her feet remained planted where they stood. Before he could even incline to make a forward advance, though, she was in the booth, phone in hand, without any recollection of how she got there. 

Even feeling the cool liquid embrace of her reentry into the real world, she was unable to shake the raw terror coursing through her body. Afraid that somehow she hadn't made it back to the ship, she refused to open her eyes even as the long, cylindrical plug was carefully removed from her head. The sudden drop in temperature and familiar whirring of machines combined with scuffling of feet informed her of her security. Yet she lingered in darkness, not quite knowing what she was waiting for, but telling herself that she was procrastinating until her breathing and heart rate eased to a normal speed.

"Trinity…?" the voice was quiet, barely a whisper. It sounded concerned and cautious, but, to her surprise, she also detected something loving in it. The sensation that ran through her body at the sound of it told her how familiar it was, yet she could not place it. She focused on this voice and let it calm her mind, still rushed from the adrenaline.

"Hey, you all right kiddo?" Tank. She smiled as she allowed her eyelids to flutter open to the image of his kind face. Though her smile faded as she realized that his upbeat tone did not fit with the previous voice. The disconcerted looks from her other crewmates also concurred that no one else had spoken. _Then who?_

"We were all very worried Trinity, none of us detected that agent in the vicinity. I'm so sorry for keeping you until last to exit. In the future, I will stay behind to make sure this doesn't happen again." All other thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind as Morpheus's words sent the gripping fear, which had been overshadowed by the strange and unexpected voice, straight to her throat. With her voice constricted, all she could do was nod and give him a thankful look as she was escorted to her cabin.

Later, in the mess hall Morpheus expressed his remorse. "I feel awful that was her first experience in the Matrix! And she's only been with us for a year, hardly enough time for her to truly trust us." Switch nodded in understanding at his lament. "Things were going smoothly, but…" his voice trailed off as he averted his eyes to the table.

Switch usually spoke little, but her words carried meaning when they were given out. Her slight accent smoothed the words she delivered while she absently stirred the food in her dish. "There was nothing you could have done Morpheus, there comes a time for all of us. Hers just came sooner than most. She'll sleep it off, don't worry. In the morning you'll see." Quickly glancing at Apoc for some sign of approval, she looked directly at her captain who seemed to be chewing over her spoken thoughts.

"Yes, I suppose. I just hope." The other crew exchanged silent but meaningful glances. 

In general, Morpheus was matter of fact, knowing that some things just happened. With this new freed mind, though, he seemed extra cautious. He seemed to take extra measures to risk harming her. There was something he saw in her, and the others had seen it too. She was not merely another young rebel looking for answers; she held a special destiny. _I wonder if she knows just how special she is?_ Morpheus mused as he mentally left the table's conversation whose the topic had now turned to other subjects. 


	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter II

The room was dark, save for the illumination offered from the computer screen placed precariously among a clutter of various items on the desk. The lone occupant of the dreary and unkempt apartment was slouched in a chair in front of the computer, obviously asleep despite the multiple searches running a barrage of information down the screen. He slept uneasily, though his exhaustion was apparent in the circles below his long lashes.

She couldn't help thinking how young he looked to be in such need of sleep. The unruliness of his hair and wrinkled, well-worn clothes simply added to his boyishness, though he could not be younger than twenty-five. His pale features only further accentuated the starkness of his raven black hair in the glow from the computer screen as he slept soundly. 

She had to smile at the innocence of his repose, as awkward as it was. But there was something else, a frustration and searching feeling she sensed from him…

The morning found Trinity already awake, lying on her back with her knees up and feet tucked toward her body. She had slept little the previous night, though not from the terrifying memories of her jarring excursion into the Matrix. 

Never had she dreamt of someone who seemed so real that she could feel him breathing and almost touch him. The recognition she felt when seeing his face and identifying with his emotions was none that could have come from someone when she was positive they had never met. She simply could not understand what was going on inside her as possibilities and unidentifiable feelings rushed through her head.

Shaking her head in a gesture that was as close as she could come to ridding herself of her confusing thoughts, she stood up and stretched her arms toward the low metal ceiling of her small cabin. Taking a step toward the door she almost tripped over the tray that had been placed on the floor beside her bed. The milky white soup-like substance in the bowl sloshed about, threatening to spill out, as the tray recovered from the contact with her foot. She smiled at the graciousness of whoever had brought her meal to her room, but realized that it probably meant she had severely over slept. After hurriedly placing the tray on the table at the head of her the bed, she threw on an extra shirt and rushed out of her room. 

Tank, Dozer, and Cypher were startled at the sight of her out and about with such fervor, and their surprised looks left her slightly taken aback. She paused for a moment and swallowed hard as the memory of why she was expected to be resting came back with a sudden burst that almost caused her knees to give out. Forcing a weak smile, she said her hellos to the crew and was greeted by their warm and caring looks in return.

"Glad to see you're feeling well this morning Trin," chimed Cypher with true sincerity, despite his generally sarcastic nature. 

"Hungry? I brought your breakfast into your room this morning, but it might be a little stale now that my stomach is telling me it's almost time for lunch." Tank gave a chuckle and a kind look toward his friend before turning back to his work. _Wow, I guess I slept longer than I thought. _Trinity _did_ feel pretty hungry now that they mentioned it. 

"Thanks Tank. What did I miss Morpheus? I didn't mean to sleep so long." With the formality of a drill sergeant, she addressed the Nebuchadnezzar's captain who had just emerged from the hull and was attempting to hide his amused grin from Trinity.

"My, my, always ready for action! Don't worry, we wouldn't do anything without you." A playful smile edged on his lips as she forcefully drew her hands onto her hips in mock irritation and glared at him indignantly. 

"Well that's good, I don't need you guys gallivanting through the Matrix while I'm stuck here on the cold ship," she almost choked on the word _Matrix_ but her persona remained cool. Sure, her experience had been frightening, but she was determined to put it behind her and, most importantly, not let her fear show. 

Morpheus's smile folded from his lips into a frown of concern. "Would you please meet me in my cabin Trinity?" 

When they had both entered the privacy of his room, Trinity's captain turned to face her. His eyes shone with kindness as he spoke. "Look, Trinity, I promise that you will never be left in that situation again, I'll make sure of it. And," here he lowered his voice as he placed his hand on her shoulder, "you don't have to go back there until you're ready. No one's going to force you." She shifted her eyes down to her boots, ashamed and feeling separate because of her fear. Morpheus's hand lifted her chin and he looked directly into her eyes to amplify the meaning of his words. She knew that he would do as he said, and the friendship expressed in his eyes enforced that. 

"Thanks," she said, and, pushing her feelings aside, she let herself follow the familiar path to the kitchen. There, Dozer placed her meal in front of her and smiled with sympathy, despite the fact that he could not really relate. She appreciated everyone's compassion, but she was worried that her weakness had replaced the image of strength she had always tried to hold up. Sighing quietly, her thoughts drifted to her strange dream of the night before. As she pondered the mysteries of it, she ate without tasting her food, which was probably better, considering the bland taste of their staple meal. "It's a single-cell protein combined with synthetic aminos, vitamins, and minerals…" Dozer's explanation of the nutritional value in the soupy substance had all but been lost in her disgust with it the first time she ate it.

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***

She lay on her side, hands resting with the palms together under her head and her legs tucked up close to her body. A piece of her short dark hair had fallen over her face and a slight smile had crept onto her lips. These things made him notice even more her striking beauty as he watched her sleep. The blanket that had been protecting her from the cold air of the ship had slipped off and she shivered involuntarily with a sudden chill. When her body had quieted she remained tense, however it now appeared more as a result from something in her dream than the actual temperature. He wanted desperately to reach out to calm her, but found himself merely an obscure observer of her world with no physical form, without the power to touch her. This realization saddened him and this feeling augmented as he saw the lovely vision of this woman fade into a memory as he awoke.

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What a strange dream, Thomas Anderson thought as he rolled back the sheets and sat up with his legs hanging over the edge of the bed. Aside from the sense of recognition he had noticed at the sight of this woman whom he'd never met, something else caused him to replay the dream through his mind again. The difference, he realized, was he felt a lack of constriction in this dream world, not one that comes from the absence of a physical body, but a freedom of the mind. 

He had always noticed something amiss in his life, but never had known just what it was to be without this mental obstruction. That was, until the preceding night. 

***

With time, things were back to normal for Trinity as she continued to learn about living in the real world. In an effort to distract her from thoughts of her only experience in the Matrix, Morpheus offered to teach her to fly the Nebuchadnezzar. Naturally, she jumped at the chance to become absorbed in work rather than self-pity and thoughts of her strange dreams. For a time, she had even forgotten about the mysterious man that she saw through her sleeping eye, as the recurring dreams had not been as frequent in recent nights. 

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There he was, clad in a black business suit and perfectly groomed hair to match his clean-shaven complexion. He floated through her mind like a white dove: almost unnoticeable in its simplicity, but still more beautiful than all that surrounds it. And he was beautiful, especially compared to some of the other employees who accompanied him, she noted in her mind and with the flutter of her stomach. She smiled involuntarily at the sight of him, but quickly smothered her expression, lest she have to explain it to Tank whom was working along side her.

***

He appeared outwardly alert, but was apparently somewhere else mentally as he thoughtfully reclined in the roomy office chair pulled up to the corner of a long oak table. His position would have allowed him to participate had he desired so, but rather to his liking, it separated him enough that he wasn't really a part of the meeting. The other similarly dressed men paid him no attention as they eagerly discussed business- related topics that were of no interest to him. 

His thoughts wandered to the exciting, yet unexpected development he'd made last night in his hacking endeavors, which had become the forte of his nights. He never thought it could be done, but he'd come painfully close to discovering the secret of the 'Matrix'. Simply that name held so much esteem and mystery at the same time that he was intrigued beyond any possibility of averting his thoughts away from it for long. He had found a way into the extremities of the database belonging to 'Them'. Although he didn't know who 'They' were, he knew that uncovering their secrets would lead him ever closer to his prize. The Matrix.


	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter III – About 4 years later

Awakening to the cold, steely air residing in her cabin that not even her thick blanket and many layered dress could keep away, Trinity felt anticipation growing within her, though she could think of no explanation for the strange feeling. There was something about this day, but what it was she did not know. Opening the heavy door to her cabin, which moaned in protest to her efforts, she found herself the only awakened member of the crew. She could not remember a time in her now five years in the real world that she had been privileged to enjoy the silence of the early morning when she was the only thing stirring on the ship. Closing her eyes she inhaled the stillness, mouth slightly agape and head tilted back, allowing her senses to be overwhelmed with the quiescent peace of the quiet solitude.

She smiled as she sensed her friend's approach, despite his quiet footsteps and even breathing. "Hello. Surprised I'm up so early?" She had not opened her eyes but had not needed to. 

"Hello Trinity. Nice to see you this morning. And yes, a little surprised actually. Well then, we'll get a head start on today's activities." Looking at the unusually blissful expression on Trinity's face, Morpheus had to return the smile. 

Her eyes shot open as she felt the chill from when she awoke return with fervor. She quelled her nerves, though, as Morpheus offered breakfast. The tightening of her stomach at the mention of food influenced her direction into the kitchen. 

They ate for some time in mutual silence, each to their own thoughts, until she cleared her throat quietly with the intent of drawing the attention of her captain. Morpheus met her eyes expectantly, but not without his usual calm demeanor showing through the liquid brown that met her sharp blue. 

"So what was it that we have to get a head start on?" asked Trinity in an off-handed tone. It wasn't like him to be secretive about any important plans, so his earlier words had piqued her interest. 

As an answer to her question, Morpheus rose from the table with a mysterious raise of his eyebrows and left the room. He never looked back, but it was clear to Trinity that she was to follow him. He made his way through the ship at a leisurely pace, pausing occasionally to admire the familiar machinery of the Nebuchadnezzar, as if buying time. Trinity found this odd and was growing ancy. It was a feeling she was unaccustomed to, like a child in a toy store. She was not kept in waiting too much longer, though, as they soon entered a side room off the main hull in which she had rarely been.

The room felt close and small as she tried to cut through the darkness with her eyes. Unable to see, she stopped short after stepping through the door when she sensed something formidable directly in her path. Just then, a circuit breaker was switched on and her eyes were momentarily bombarded by the luminescence of the many overhead lights. Only then did she identify the large object in front of her as an enormous terminal attached to multiple computers and databases. 

Morpheus felt Trinity's look of astonishment fixed on the back of his head as he moved deftly around the room starting up the various computers and machinery. Pausing in his work and turning his neck around to look directly at her, Morpheus simply smiled mischievously at his female crewmate before he continued working at one of the computers. She ran through every feasible explanation for what Morpheus was up to. She finally concluded that there could only be one reason they were even in that room since their ship was almost at its maximum capacity for occupants. The spine-tingle was back. Speechless, Trinity moved up beside her captain and listened intensely as he explained the functions and intricacies of the different apparatuses that cluttered the room in an oddly organized fashion.

Soon all the equipment was up and running with a muffled and continuous whir that Trinity had become accustomed to in her time in the real world. After all, nearly every one of their daily functions on the ship relied on electronic machinery. It was kind of ironic, the way that worked out. The whirring was usually a comforting sound, but at the moment she heard nothing. Her mind was overloaded with new ideas and information that accompanied this new task. The endeavor they were about to embark on filled her with a feeling of exhilaration. 

Diligently scanning the Matrix on three screens simultaneously, Morpheus spoke without removing his eyes from the scrolling lines of code. "I put a lot of thought into this, and decided that this is the ideal opportunity for you. He'll be yours to watch. You'll be responsible for monitoring him for the time being." His voice was cool, but the smile edging on his lips undid his attempted stoic demeanor until he broke down and smiled with delight just thinking of the possibility that this new prospect held. 

This news thrilled Trinity and she could hardly believe that this might be it. There had been others located who were looking for answers and whom Morpheus thought were ready. Mouse, for instance, had been freed while she was aboard. Those other times she had been in the background of all the commotion because she had to focus on her own training. This time, and this person, it was definitely different. For starters, Trinity realized as her mind raced with anticipation, she was the first person Morpheus had told. This was evident from the little use the room they now occupied had obviously seen recently, as well as the lack of other crewmembers joining in their excitement.

"Shhhhhhh…" Morpheus's brow furrowed with concentration as he waved his hand to silence the non-existent noise. The jumble of thoughts in Trinity's head were at once still as she peered over his shoulder to gain a better look at the screen on which an image was now taking shape.


	4. Chapter 4

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Chapter IV

Each night she returned to comfort his fitful sleep with her sweet presence, and though he found himself unable to recall her name when he awoke, the impression of her beauty remained in his mind from morning until late at night when he sunk, exhausted, back into his bed at the end of the day. Her existence was in another realm that, although completely alien to his senses, was at once comfortable to his analytical mind. She offered him solace from the monotony of his days combined with stressful nights spent searching for answers to his seemingly never ending list of questions. There was no feasible way he could watch her and not be moved to want her. She possessed everything he felt he lacked: she was strong, quick, brave, and gorgeous to boot. He felt privileged to simply be able to watch her carry out her daily life, oblivious to him, but yet they were so closely tied by something he could not explain. 

He had always been on the low end in terms of relationships. It wasn't that he was anti-social, but rather preferred to keep to his own and not be bothered by the problems of other people. He'd never been short on friends, though he never quite learned to loosen up enough to allow anyone into his private life. He certainly didn't mind living alone, but now found himself wondering what he was missing by not participating in the age-old dating game.

So where had this haunting woman of his nights come from? Though women had always seemed just out of his reach, there was something special about her. There had to be a reason her image continued to recur in his dreams. Something told him that she was not merely a figment of his imagination, and instead someone he was destined to meet.

Before these thoughts of any sort of "destiny" were barely able to form in his mind, they were banished by his rational intellect. _Fate was a bunch of bull – a scam he'd never bought into_ _– _his mind told him_. But… what if?_ was the question his heart cried. His body offered the more agreeable argument: _Hey, you want her and some things can be foreseen, right?_

His mind finally relented and let sleep take him away to a place where all he had to do was feel without worrying about why he was feeling.

***

The condoling warmth of her friend's arm enveloping her limp form was the first thing she felt when she came to. The last thing she remembered was seeing a picture of someone. Then everything went black. Attempting to open her eyes to banish the darkness behind her closed lids brought the realization of a throbbing pain in the back of her skull to the forefront of her mind. She moaned inaudibly upon feeling the dizzying nausea that she found to accompany the ache in her head. 

Morpheus placed a healing hand on her head to comfort her. "Trinity," he said, his voice soft and caring, waiting for any movement to indicate that she'd heard him. "You passed out, are you feeling alright?" Forcing the pain to the rear of her mind, she willed her eyes to open. Upon seeing her lids flutter and her blue eyes looking up into his face, he smiled with relief.

She complained of a headache and Morpheus explained that she'd hit her head on the table behind her when she'd fainted. Continuing to look concerned, though not inquiring as to why she'd suddenly become so ill, he carried her to rest in her bunk. Smoothing her dark hair out of her eyes with his thick fingers, he covered her with a blanket and exited while she drifted to sleep. Her last conscience thoughts were spent appreciating just how lucky she was to have Morpheus for a captain, peer, and dear friend. 

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"Are you sure you want to continue with this? Trinity, I mean…" Morpheus still appeared apprehensive despite her conviction that she was fully recovered from her little episode of the previous day. The sharp pain in her head protested the words she spoke, but she refused to let it get the best of her.

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After all, aren't dreams the soul's prophecy? She had heard that said at some time in the Matrix. For some reason it came back into her mind now. If that were true, there was no laudable reason why she should balk at the chance for hers to be realized. This thought caused her to hesitate as more questions than she could count flew through her mind and confused her logic_. What if…? Just suppose…?_

Inhaling and exhaling with deep, rhythmic breaths she managed to compose herself. _This is it. Haven't you wanted this since the first time in that dream… _she quickly cut short her thoughts as she felt her stomach flutter like it always did when she thought of him.

"Okay, let's get started on this, shall we?" Her tone authoritative, Trinity left no room for conjecturing as to whether or not she was ready.

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	5. Chapter 5

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Chapter V

Gulping down her rising anxiousness, she opened the laptop and pressed a small button at the upper right corner of the keyboard that caused it to come alive with processing code and numbers as it booted up. Why did she always have to be so nerve-wracked about this whole thing? She glanced around the empty room in the run-down vacated building nervously and unconsciously bit her lower lip to ease her overwhelming tension. 

On top of her uneasiness was the paranoia stemming from her previous experiences with the agents. She had sharpened her combat skills and was now quite adept at self defense, should it ever become necessary while in the Matrix, but that didn't lessen her apprehensions about having to use those skills. If she hadn't been so determined that this was right, she would've quit merely from nerves long before this. As soon as the screen loaded she felt immediately better. Soon enough, she was absorbed in her routine of scanning, checks, updates, and simply watching and thus forgot any of her aforementioned tensions. 

She had quickly settled into a rhythm of sleeping, eating, and watching. Initially she wasn't quite sure if she would be able to handle it, but her previous astonishment had diminished some. It was now replaced by a sense of urgency, as though she might suddenly lose everything she had gained in such a short time if she wasn't constantly on vigil. She did not understand any of the emotions that mingled in her head as she sat at her computer everyday and most nights. Disregarding the internal struggles that her occupation caused her, the interest and intrigue in her subject never waned. 

Feeling just a bit nostalgic, she thought back to the last time she could remember feeling so completely overwhelmed by emotions as she was now. Memories came flooding back until she could even inhale the scent of exactly what the dank building smelled of those three years ago… 

_Morpheus maintained a slight smile even as they ascended in the decrepit but still functional elevator to the seventh floor of the aging and well-kept, apartment building. His sunglasses remained poised on his nose despite the minimal light provided in the elevator. She had removed hers and clung to them as though she might fall apart if she let them go. The looming steel doors slid apart with an all-too-cheerful ding that seemed oblivious to the torture going on inside her abdomen. The butterflies in her stomach were replaced with a knot of the unknown as they strode down the hall towards apartment number 206. The door opened before her tightly clenched fist could come into contact with the aged wood to knock on it. _

"Come in Trinity." With a warm smile the woman extended her arm in a welcoming gesture. 

"Are you…" her voice just above an incredulous whisper, Trinity was cut off by the soft tone of the matron standing before her.

"Oh no, I'm not the Oracle! She's inside dear." As the woman laughed heartily at her mistaken identity, her generously fringed shawl swayed in rhythm with her shaking shoulders. 

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With the woman's comforting hand on her shoulder, Trinity was guided down a short hallway and nudged towards the close but cozy living room of the well-furnished apartment. On the far wall of the room was a sofa, which was in useable condition though it had obviously seen better days. Seated on it was a woman who looked completely comfortable while at the same time being starkly out of place. She was prone for action, should any come her way, but was evidently content to remain amongst the plush pillows and afghan draped around the couch while she held her lit cigarette in her upright left hand. The smoke, too, appeared fitting while drifting up from the tip of the rolled paper filled with tobacco held in her strong, well worn fingers, but did not suit itself so well when exhaled from between her thin lips. 

The Oracle and everything about her abode, Trinity had quickly noticed, were seeping with irony. It did not seem possible for so many extremes to coexist peacefully, though somehow everything was a possibility for this woman. 

For a moment she did not speak as her visitor was allowed to take in everything before her. Her head tilted slightly to one side and mahogany brown eyes curious, she sized up Trinity, though she had not needed to. Her eyes narrowed and the soft skin on her cheeks wrinkled as her lips spread into a divine smile. When her lips parted to speak, she noticed the thin and yet lithe young woman standing before her cringe inwardly. It was only a slight movement, but noticeable to someone wise in the ways of people. 

"I've heard a lot about you Trinity." Her head nodded with the internal rhythm of the words she uttered. She spoke slowly and deliberately as though all the time in the world belonged simply to her. Trinity did not doubt that it did. She sank back into the cushions of the sofa as she reclined and pointed decisively with her cigarette to the dusty brown armchair that faced the seat she occupied at present. "Have a seat." Her words were soft, but seemed to bounce off Trinity rather than sink in as the younger woman walked stiffly towards the offered seat. 

She was grateful for the large presence of the chair, which somehow sheltered her, but she remained on guard even though there was nothing menacing about the older woman seated across from her. It was then that Trinity realized that this Oracle, despite her advancing age, looked far too young to have been with the resistance since its beginning. She considered inquiring about this odd notion, but thought it better to not make reference to a woman's age. 

"I'm not as young as I may look, you know. In fact, it's the resistance itself that keeps me young." Acknowledging the surprised look present in Trinity's blue eyes with only a slight nod, the Oracle continued. "Yes, after the passing of the first leader, the hope for the prospect of his reincarnation has kept us all going." She sighed, reminiscing about days gone by, but did not stroll down memory lane for long.

"I think our wait is almost over, though. Sure, it won't be long now… And that's where you come in doll." Her small, rectangular glasses, which had been held resting at the corner of her mouth by her free hand, were held out with an upright palm. It was a gesture that seemed to be welcoming Trinity into the conversation which so far had been pointedly one-sided.

Trinity had barely spoken since entering the Matrix on this day, but was suddenly filled with questions at the Oracle's surprising statement. Nerves got the best of her though, as she only managed to weakly croak out, "Me…?"

Her smile widening and her posture softening so she appeared less threatening, the Oracle spoke with certainty, "Yes dear, you'll be a big part in his life. Once you overcome your fears that is." Now her look intensified as she saw the dread behind the cool exterior of the leather-clad woman facing her. Trinity knew exactly what fears she spoke of as anxiety rose in her throat. She knew the Oracle knew it too.

"You will not only be a big part in his life… you will BE his life. Your strength is going to be greatly tested in his time of need, but it will be yours as well. For love is stronger than even death itself and my dear, you will be in love."

It was Trinity's turn to speak as she gathered her courage and willed her voice to work, "In love? With HIM… The One?" She was incredulous. She had merely hoped to know of The One in her lifetime, but never expected to actually meet him or be involved with him, no less. 

"Yes. But listen to me now, he will need your help because he doubts his own worth."

Her interest fully captured, Trinity forgot her apprehensions, "The One doesn't think he is The One?" Her brow furrowed in curiosity and wonder.

_"Like I said, you are going to have to be strong for him - which means being strong for yourself. I mean stronger than you will ever be in this place," her arm arced above her head in a sweeping gesture, "this place that is not real. You will never know you could possess such strength. But when the time comes, you will know. If you feel it… and you know what that "it" is… then it is time for your strength." She took a drag of her cigarette so Trinity had time to think about what she had just been told. It was time enough only for her to reach the brink of confusion and take one step over the edge before the Oracle began to speak again. _

"This latter part - being strong for yourself - you already seem to be good at doing outwardly, but I know that what I'm telling you scares you more than anything, even if you don't show it." The Oracle paused, noticing the affirmation of her statement in Trinity's eyes. Her own eyes, on the other hand, were glistening with radiance as she looked kindly on the scared and increasingly uncomfortable girl in the oversized brown chair. With a quiet, but purposeful tone she allayed the building tension of her anxious listener. "But do not let this overwhelm you, just remember that I am merely a guide: here to direct you and offer what insight I can." Her kind words did not seem to calm Trinity.

"Oh don't worry about it dear, things will be fine," she let out a sound that was half laugh, half sigh. " You will have some hardships, if I told you otherwise I would be doing you a terrible disservice, but take it from me, falling in love with The One is by no means bad!" She hesitated then, which struck Trinity as odd. It was as though she was struggling with her past and at the same time debating whether or not to say something out loud. Finally she sighed, suddenly looking old, save for the ever-present luster in her eyes. "Well, that's for some other time," she said simply.

Something in her look and sincerity eased Trinity's taught muscles that had been tense ever since exiting the ship on this day. She allowed herself to relax into the cushions of her protective chair while unconsciously a small but happy smile crept onto her lips. Somehow things didn't seem quite as formidable anymore.

The Oracle had not moved or provided any visible indication that she was done, but something told Trinity that their meeting had come to an end. Her emotions confused her as she had an urge to never leave the compassionate feeling this Oracle offered but was overwhelmed with a need to return to the comfortable familiarity of the Nebuchadnezzar. It suddenly felt as though she had been in that selfsame room for many hours while simultaneously she had a feeling of only having just entered the apartment. 

The irony seeped from her very pores. And confusion held irony's hand as Trinity's mind reeled. 

"Thank you," she said, with a tired voice as her eyes were hazed with a film of the unfamiliar. She truly meant it, though, and saw that the Oracle understood when their eyes met and the older woman rose with a benevolent smile to escort her out.

She was glad when Morpheus merely smiled but said nothing as they followed the same directions back that they'd taken on their way to the Oracle – on the way to forever changing Trinity's life. 

The One… In love… with The One. _The words continued to float through her mind at a dizzying pace. Her heart rose with insurmountable anticipation at the same time that her stomach dropped into a sick knot in her belly. She wanted to spill everything to Morpheus, but knew just as well as he did that it was none of his business and for her alone to sort through. Well, it was hers alone until she would not need to be alone anymore…_

Now that time was soon at hand, Trinity realized as the blaring horn from a passing truck (which ironically didn't even exist) snapped her back to the present moment. She let out her breath when she found she'd been holding it and her heart began to race from the memory of her visit to the Oracle. The words that had been spoken to her that day had never ceased to be in her mind, but now their pertinence seemed to overcome her. 

Blinking her eyes and stretching her arms she noticed that she'd completely forgotten about the task she was supposed to be performing at the laptop computer that sat on the desk in front of her at present. To her surprise there was some unusual activity commencing on the screen. Checking her watch she realized that 2:36 in the morning was hardly any time for someone to be having what appeared to be a rather relaxed, informal conversation with a posse of suspicious looking people.


	6. Chapter 6

****

Chapter VI

"So, you really need this? How soon?" It was not a difficult task, but he really did not want to be bothered by menial distractions when he was so close.

"I told you, this guy I work for…" The red haired man's explanation was cut off by the tired voice of his pale acquaintance. 

"Alright, you don't need to repeat it." He was becoming exasperated. Though he'd known him for years, this man had always been a little shifty. He was more apt to get stoned and party than to follow any ambitions. "Two grand, no questions." He may as well make this profitable for its worth.

Looking as though he was about to argue, the woman at his side made a small whimpering noise and gave him a pleading look as she persuaded him to get this whole thing done with so they could skip straight to the club. "Sure. Thanks man. You don't know how much you're saving my skin. Hey, why don't you ride along with us, you could use a change of scenery."

It was the same offer every time, but his scene had never been the social one. To add to it, the woman that accompanied his friend was beginning to hit a chord in him that brought out his worst impatience. She was a none-to-trusted slut that for some odd inclination clung to this man like a leech. Though relatively harmless at best, she'd been known to break more than a few men's hearts. The glue didn't seem to be coming undone between her and the red headed man anytime soon, though. "No, no thanks. I'm, uh, kinda in the middle of something here that I want to finish up. So you go on ahead without me." His excuse sounded poor, even to him, but it was the truth. "Just make sure you're here on the nineteenth. Don't be late." 

"Suit yourself man. We'll see you around," the other man said non-chalantly, as he was not in the least surprised at the declined invitation. With that, the silent man and woman that completed their posse of four escorted he and the human leech out.

Not at all regretting their departure, he ran his hands through his short dark hair and, sighing heavily, sunk gratefully back into the chair positioned in front of his computer. Now he could continue.

***

They teased her, at first privately, then blatantly almost everyday about her literally constant "sentry duty". It was all good-natured, but she took it a bit personally at first. It took her some time before she realized that what they said was true, but by that time she didn't mind. They didn't know what she knew, nor could she herself believe what she knew. The entire situation was more than unreal, though she should have come to expect the seemingly impossible considering all the strange things she'd experienced and come to accept as normal since being freed five years earlier.

"Uh oh, what ever will he do without you? Don't want to leave the poor guy to piss by himself Trinity!" Mouse punched her arm playfully as he sat down beside her on the bench to eat. 

Glowering at him, but hiding a smile provoked by being caught off guard (literally), she retorted back, "Well a girl's got to eat now and again, you know, Mouse." She had always thought of Mouse as almost like a little brother and as such, they slipped easily into a conversation which conveniently distracted her from the topic that had a become a permanent resident in her mind. 


	7. Chapter 7

****

Chapter VII

She realized with some intrigue what a stark contrast it was to watch him while awake rather than asleep as she gazed lackadaisically at the screen in front of her. "Hello Neo," she said in a hushed voice, as though there were someone present that she feared would overhear her fond murmuring, though there was no one. She dialed Cypher when she realized with a little laugh that upon seeing Neo, she'd promptly forgotten the task at hand. 

"Yeah." He didn't need to ask who it was.

"Is everything in place?" She braced herself for the bitter retort she had come to expect.

"You weren't supposed to relieve me." He'd been waiting for her call, but wasn't about to let her off as though nothing were out of place.

"I know, but I felt like taking a shift." Still nothing except the usual bantering. She wondered what he was thinking.

"You like him, don't you? You like watching him." It came, but later than she had anticipated.

"Don't be ridiculous." Her throat tightened but her voice did not waver.

"We're going to kill him, do you understand that?" After so many others, he had no reason to see why this one should be anything special.

"Morpheus believes he is the One." Now it was her stomach that constricted.

"Do you?" His tone was accusing and the words stung her like a prick from a needle straight into her heart.

"It doesn't matter what I believe." But her emotions were running wild nonetheless.

"You don't, do you?" She was hiding something, but he had more important things to worry about at the time.

"Did you hear that…?" She wasn't quite sure if it had been something or just her own paranoia.

"What?" He figured she'd catch that, she was always far too alert for her own good.

"… Are you sure this line is clean?" Things had been going well and she did not feel like dealing with any agents right now.

" 'Course I'm sure." He _had_ heard it. He didn't really care, though, because he wouldn't be around that much longer anyway.

"I better go." She quickly cut the line and replaced the phone in her pocket. It was a relief to not be continuing that conversation. 

She returned her attention to the computer screen and smiled at the handsome man sitting at his computer, hacking away, as he was prone to spend his nights. Little did he know his life was about to change. 

She relaxed some in her chair when she realized her muscled were tensed and her breathing had become shallow after her talk with Cypher. Still, a certain apprehension loomed in the back of her mind. Her suspicions were confirmed very shortly when she heard the static of CB radios and heavy footsteps of law enforcement officers already in the building and closing in. With hushed and raspy voices they attempted to locate her in the maze of hallways and floors of the long-forgotten "Heart O' the City Hotel". 

"Why now?!" This unnecessary intrusion on her shift was just making things more difficult than they already were. She was all too aware that the police were only the first wave and would be quickly followed by agents. She did not like to deal with agents. For all of her training and experience, they were the only ones who made her doubt herself. 

Pushing all these thoughts out of her mind, she focused on the necessary actions she needed to take before the police arrived. She knew there wasn't time to erase all evidence of her and her subject from the computer, so she settled for quickly closing the window containing blatant identifying information. It was almost not fast enough, though, because she heard them bustle around the corner and caught a glimpse of wayward flashlight beams just as the blank desktop appeared on the computer screen. 

With a crash, the door to room 303 was kicked down and five police officers burst into the vicinity. "Police! Freeze!" She almost laughed at the cop's naïve formality. "Put your hands behind your head! Do it! Do it now!" She complied by calmly clasping her hands against the back of her head and rising slowly from her chair. She stood stock still as the officer approached her, but her muscles were on full alert to switch into action at a moment's notice. She felt the gap between her and the burly badge close. He reached up with the handcuffs poised to close around her wrists. She would have no part of being captured by these men who could never compete with her speed and competence in combat. 

At the last second when the cocky officer must've been sure he'd had her under wraps, she whipped around and easily evaded him. She proceeded to devastate every one of the many cops that rushed at her, as they never seemed to realize the ease with which she had halted the advances of their predecessors. 

Silently damning Cypher, she dialed to the ship. Knowing who was on the other end of the line, she spoke as soon as the connection clicked into place. "Morpheus, the line was traced, I don't know how." 

"I know. They cut the hardline. There's no time, you'll have to find another exit." He was always so calm, nothing seemed to fluster him. She envied that peace of mind, which always seemed to elude her.

"Are there any agents?" After everything she'd been through, that was the last thing she needed. But she already knew what the answer would be.

"Yes." That was it.

"Goddamnit." Knowing didn't make it any easier. 

"You have to focus Trinity. There's an exit at Wells and Lake. You can make it." That calm was beginning to unnerve her. He did not know the fear that welled up in her. Nor would he know. That was how she wanted it. She was _the_ Trinity. The _strong _and _fearless_ Trinity. 

"All right…"

"Go."

****


	8. Chapter 8

****

Chapter VIII

Her heart was still pounding and the fear refused to back down from where it was fixed at the top of her throat. _If I had been 2 seconds later, that truck…_ No, she wouldn't think about the possibilities. She was here and that was what mattered. She felt immediately better, though, when she saw Morpheus' comforting figure come around to face her after removing the data spike. "Unfortunately, you have to go back in, you know that." She knew all too well. But this trip, despite its inherent risks, would be worth it. There was nothing unfamiliar about this experience.

She mentally prepared herself, even though she must have already gone over it a hundred times. Emotionally, she was battling with anticipation and nervousness. Her stomach fluttered as she closed her eyes in an attempt to calm the buzz of her mind. Inhaling deeply then exhaling softly as she opened her eyes to meet Tank's, she nodded and bit her lower lip. He knew what that meant. 

She was standing in a familiar room that had at one time been a small bookstore. With a piercing note, the phone, whose service had long ago been disconnected by the phone company, rang from its perch on a nearby shelf. She answered on the second ring with a simple, "I'm in." The line was broken immediately after the man on the other line replied with a wish for good luck.

As soon as she stepped outside the abandoned building that had served as her entrance, she could hear the faint sounds of heavy metal music that escaped from the dark building that was her destination. She could feel the slight tingling even from a block away as the very asphalt of the street was throbbing with the pulse of the music. She quickly scanned her attire of black leather pants, boots, and a form fitting strapless top of the same material. Satisfied with her outfit, she strode definitively down the street, toward the club. She stepped carefully and purposefully so as to distract herself from her overwhelming nerves. _You have to focus Trinity._ She heard her mentor's words echoing in her mind. 

As much as she thought it could, nothing could've prepared her for actually seeing him. He was right in front of her, standing awkwardly against a wall that at the time wasn't being overrun by overly energetic people grinding to the music intermingled with a hazy a smoke. He looked so out of place and she was overwhelmed with a need to comfort him. Swallowing hard, she methodically dodged groups of people, oblivious to her presence, to steadily come closer to him. 

She had hoped to play to his intrigue and it seemed to her that she had produced the desired affect as she seemingly melted from the shadowy dark into the light that shone from overhead. His discomfort with his current situation was very blatant and it seemed to Trinity that he was starting to wonder what the hell he was doing in this place and why he'd ever fallen for a trick that came right out of a Lewis Carroll novel.

"Hello Neo." An unintentional smile had begun to edge on her lips so she forced them to remain neutral. 

At the sound of her voice he looked up as though he'd been caught doing something wrong. Realizing how he must have appeared, he immediately slumped into a reserved and indifferent position against the wall.

"How do you know that name?" He acted calm but she could tell he was a bit intimidated while he was starting to piece things together in his mind.

"I know a lot about you." The smirk was getting harder to contain. 

"Who are you?" He did not need to ask _who _she was. He only needed her name.

"My name is Trinity." But didn't he already know that?

"Trinity… _The_ Trinity? That cracked the IRS D-Base?" He couldn't hide his awe…_That name… where have I felt that feeling before? _His mind was desperately grappling for something just out of reach.

"That was a long time ago." She was a bit annoyed at how typical it was that her Matrix life still haunted her_._

"Jesus…" Memories flooded his brain and a film descended over his vision. _What the hell is going on?_ He couldn't believe he was actually face to face with her.

"What?" _Does he know?_ She couldn't be sure.

"I thought…" _I thought fate was a bunch of bull. C'mon, think man, think._ "…You were a guy." Well he always had thought that Trinity was, but he knew full well that _she_ wasn't. 

"Most guys do." _Do I _look_ like a guy?_ Though she knew that was harsh, she just thought he _knew._ Or hoped. 

"That was you on my computer? How did you do that?" _Jesus, she's in my dreams _and_ my computer. What a woman. _

"Right now, all I can tell you is that you are in danger. I brought you hear to warn you." 

"Of what?"

"They're watching you, Neo."

"Who is?"He was beginning to think Choi was right about that Mescaline thing._ I sure don't feel normal right now._

"Please, just listen..." Up until now, she had kept an aloof distance: just close enough to talk to him without shouting over the penetrating music. She closed the gap now until she was so close she could inhale his scent and it was driving her mad. Her lips just barely grazed his ear as she spoke in a soothing tone. "I know why you're here Neo. I know what you've been doing. I know why you hardly sleep, why you live alone, and why night after night you sit at your computer." 

He tensed momentarily but then relaxed as she continued talking. "You're looking for him. I know because I was once looking for the same thing. And when he found me he told me I wasn't really looking for him. I was looking for an answer. It's the question that drives us." She exhaled the words more than said them. "You know the question, just as I did."

"What is the Matrix?" He could barely breath.

"It is out there, Neo. It is looking for you and it will find you… If you want it to." Drawing back a few inches, she looked him square in his eyes. They could've melted steel. She savored one last breath of his scent before turning to leave. Something told her she had left quite an impression on him. 

Lost in thought, she narrowly avoided walking into a large group of oblivious people that had gathered on the sidewalk. Feeling a bit sheepish, she continued back toward the bookstore a bit more aware. Flipping open her cell phone, she dialed the ship. 

"Hey, hey how'd it go in there?" Tank asked playfully. She couldn't help but smile at his remark, even though she'd come to expect it. 

"Quite well, actually." She intoned back. 

"Oh, I bet you were hoping for a exit weren't you?" He laughed heartily. It was so easy to jostle her. 

"Well, yes. But just remember who's the ranking officer here." She warned him. It was always nice to be able to use that to her advantage. Not that she minded the teasing so much, though. 

"Ahhh but what can you do to me if I don't let you back?" Chuckling, he decided that was enough harassing. "Alright, bookstore on eighth street right?" 

"Yeah." The phone clicked as she slid it closed while she headed toward her exit. She could not, for a second, take her mind away from her encounter with Neo, but Tank's joking had relaxed her a bit. She took a deep breath, and for just a bit forgot to make the distinction between what was real and what was just an illusion of air. She allowed the memory of his scent to overcome her until the sharp ring that signaled her exit resonated through her thoughts. Morpheus was there to unplug her in the real world. She now inhaled air, cold as it was, that was real. Her captain led her to the computer where they watched him returning home from the club.

"Do you think he's ready?"

"That's your call."

"I know. But I'm asking _you._"

"Yes. Only his age worries me, but he's been searching a long time." She said honestly, trying not to allow her feelings to get in the way of her rationale. "I know that he feels it."

"Yes, yes he does. I feel it too. I feel that he is the One."

"There have been so many others though…" She knew as soon as she spoke that it was not her place to question him. It was also not her place to question her own inner knowledge. 

"I know… But I pushed those others. I believed that I could make them something they weren't. It seemed to me that since it was foretold, that I could somehow ordain the One. Now I realize how wrong I was. The One is not to be made or even found by me, but to be found by himself, in himself. All I do is present him with the tools to do so. That is why this time is different."

"How are you going to reach him? The Agents are looking."

"I don't know. I am afraid if we don't act soon, though, that it will be too late."

"Yes." _Too late? _The thought was mind-boggling. It had never seriously occurred to her that they might not be able to get him out… 

****


	9. Chapter 9

****

Chapter IX

He could not get her out of his mind. It was a physical impossibility. _Coincidence, that's all. It probably wasn't even the same woman. It's that damned over-active imagination my dad always complained about and my mom condoned when I was a kid. And it all comes back to haunt me in my adult life. Jesus. Why the hell is this happening?_

He knew that he was just trying to compensate for all of his previous theories being shot to hell, but that was the only thing he knew to do. _If nothing else, at least I could get some answers. That's all I really want._ Shit. He couldn't even lie to himself. 

The only thing he could think to do was to just let them contact him when, or if, they chose to. Until then, he would just continue with his daily job and nightly searches. _What if it was just some practical joke that had gone too far? What if she had not been speaking of the answers I'm looking for._ The truth was, it hadn't mattered what she was saying because she had been so close that her breath had caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end and a chill to course down his spine_. That_ was what mattered. He would not admit it, though. 

Finally, in the early hours of the morning, when the stubborn argument commencing in his mind seemed as though it would never end, sleep lulled the opposition into the submission of slumber.

***

While Trinity slept uneasily on her stiff cot, Morpheus remained on night watch. His mind reeled in circle after circle, running through all the possibilities and complications of freeing this mind. He continued to double back over the same alternatives and precautions, seemingly endlessly. Images from previous prospects he'd rather forget would not cease to flash through his mind's eye. They had all met untimely demises. It did not seem fair that he had been so selfish. 

He eventually cleared his thoughts enough to sort through the most laudable options. At long last he decided it would be best to contact him once more, then proceed with the process of unplugging him within a few days or so. That way, they would not scare him off. He would inform Trinity in the morning.

The morning did not come before he had to tell her, though. She did not even get to hear his original plans, because those ideas were immediately stashed as soon as Cypher stepped through the doorway. He had been on scanning duty and had come to report some unsettling news to Morpheus. 

"We've got some trouble with the new kid. You'd better check it out pronto." Cypher reported to his captain, already on his way out the moment he walked in the room. He led the way to the room filled with a menagerie of screens, wires, computers, modems, and just about everything else electronic. It was the area used for scanning the Matrix to denote any odd occurrences, glitches, or other disruptions. In this case, it was some very pertinent activity commencing between the machines.

"What is it?" As an answer to Morpheus's inquiry, Cypher pointed to the greenish tinted code scrolling down one of the screens. "That doesn't look good." The captain's dark brow furrowed in consternation.

"Nuh-uh. They're gonna be all over that poor kid in no time and he's not gonna know what hit him." Cypher was never one to be much for sympathy. 

"I know. I just wish I had more time to contact him. We'll have to work fast." Once again, Morpheus's mind was working full-tilt to come up with yet another plan of action.

"When aren't we rushing? Those damn machines and their concept of time." Cypher smirked but Morpheus just brushed off his cynical remark. Before exiting to wake Trinity, he proceeded to allocate a list of tasks that would need to be done in order to pull off this contact. This was not just any contact, it was crucial to freeing this mind. And this was not just any mind, this mind was crucial to their entire purpose. 

Trinity stirred slightly in her sleep as she unconsciously edged the thin blanket closer to her face to ward off the frigid ship air. He hated to rouse her from the rest she so obviously needed, but it was for the best. He knew she would understand, but once more, he wished he had a choice. 


	10. Chapter 10

****

Chapter X

Trinity said a silent prayer to a God in which she did not even believe, or to something and anything that could have any impact on this life. Then she felt the cold metal in the back of her head the instant before her body slipped away and her mind become conscious of her new surroundings. Looking around her, she coolly regarded the abandoned building before heading off in the direction of the nearest parking lot. There, she found a sleek, dark motorcycle awaiting her arrival. _Not too shabby_ she thought as she swung her leg smoothly over the seat and gunned the engine. 

The markedly high-tech sounding name _Metacortex _was presented in large, prominent lettering on every side of the towering glass structure. On a one way street that sided up to the immense office building she resigned herself to restless waiting. She watched as a multitude of high-class businessmen and women swam in and out through the revolving doors. Soon her eyes became unfocused. A formidable truck screeched to a halt just past where Trinity was stationed, jarring her out of her daze. Annoyance at its large presence that partially blocked her view quickly turned to relief when she saw the company logo that decorated the side of the vehicle: _FedEx_. Even though he was dressed in a postal uniform, she could still easily recognize Mouse as he headed toward the front doors of the building, package in hand. Now things would really get moving. 

That relief was not long-lived, though. A tangle of both fear and anger fought for recognition inside of her as soon as she saw the three rigid, suit-coated men stride into the building, eerily mirroring each other's every action and footfall. She swallowed her augmenting uneasiness as much for her own sake as for the man whom they were there to pursue. 

Time passed more slowly than she'd ever known it could. She was growing restless in her constant alertness to her surroundings while she continued to daydream. It was not exactly a daydream because she had no conscious part of the thoughts that flowed endlessly before her inner eye. Instead, every time she attempted to avert her attention to something else, his image was always there to blot out whatever her mind had thought was more pertinent. She certainly did not object to such a constant presence, but her trepidation over the many complications associated with freeing him was now overriding her affinity. 

At long last, a single agent exited the building and headed towards a dark and looming sedan. At this signal, she sped around the block just in time to pull up in front of the dark sedan. Poised for quick action, she stared intently through her rear-view mirror as the remaining agents and a few security guards escorted a struggling man out of the building. He was forcefully shoved into the back seat of the car as he continued to attest to his innocence. Her heart went out to him, as well as to Morpheus whose task had just been increased tenfold because of the man's decision. She was not left in pity for long because just as the last agent was about to duck into the car, his nose wrinkled ever so slightly as he picked up something through his earpiece. His stony glare was then directed straight at Trinity.

"Shit." The fear was ingrained in her and she sped away without a second glance. 

As soon as she opened her eyes in the real world, she saw the disappointment on her superior's face. "If only we could do away with fear, our job would not be so hard." 

"Fear is not so easy to erase. Even in those of us who know the truth." Morpheus was one of the few people in her life she was ever able to be totally honest with. "If I were him, I don't know if I could've gone out on that scaffold either." He nodded in understanding and without another word they both headed to the scanning room. Neither of them had to express aloud the hope that they all held onto for this prospect. 

They had no idea what the agents knew or what they would do to him. All they could do was wait; something they all despised. 

In order to diffuse the situation, Mouse relied on humor as a relaxing mechanism. "What I don't understand is why the agents insist on wearing their sunglasses _indoors_. I mean, what's the purpose anyway? Can they see better with them on or something?" A nervous titter spread through the room, but the general feeling remained sullen. With a softer tone he commented, "Man, I would _not_ want to be sitting in that chair right now…" 


	11. Chapter 11

****

Chapter XI

He was like a bedraggled stray dog, helplessly abandoned on the side of the road. He had been soaking wet when he climbed hesitantly into the car and sat beside her. His big brown eyes were wide with disbelief and curiosity. He had immediately shied at the first sign of anything challenging, but she was able to coax him back into at least a reserved trust. They walked up the many flights of checkerboard stairs, a transitional time that neither of them would soon forget.

Switch and Apoc had gone ahead to prepare the reentry equipment. That left just Trinity with Neo to make the long walk to forever changing all of their lives. "I know you have been searching for him for a long time."

"Yeah, I don't know if I ever really expected to find him though." The look in his eyes showed utter and innocent amazement that made Trinity almost smile.

"Well you did find him, and he found you. This is no coincidence." She had never felt surer of that. 

He looked at her curiously before changing the subject away from him. "The agents said he was considered the most dangerous man alive, why?" 

"Because he is a threat to them and their very existence, which is based on control." _Why does he always seem to avoid what I was sure he knew?_ Fear. She should know that better than anyone. 

There was a lapse in the conversation as they approached the doors that would seal his fate. When they paused in front of the large wooden double doors Trinity saw Neo cringe inwardly as though bracing himself. 

"This is it." He turned to face her as she spoke words of counsel to him, "Let me give you one piece of advice: be honest. He knows more than you can imagine." Their eyes met for one precious moment before she hauled open the heavy door to allow him an entrance. 

Morpheus had dismissed her with a kind look as he turned to meet Neo, but she could not conceive of staying completely out of earshot from their dialogue. She assisted Switch, Apoc, and Cypher in the preparation of the equipment, but slipped away as soon as that was finished. 

Staying in the plentiful shadows cast by the few lights in the gloomy room, Trinity watched as Morpheus held out his hands, palms toward the damp and cracked ceiling. Neo was inclining forward in the creaking leather chair, in an obviously defensive and uncomfortable position. He listened intently as the larger man explained his options regarding the pills held in either hand. 

She held her breath as he reached for the pill in Morpheus's right hand… _c'mon_…then hesitated… _c'mon_… then cautiously placed the pill on his tongue… _oh please?_… picked up the glass of water… swallowed. Her mouth could not help but imitate Morpheus's Cheshire grin. 

Knowing that they did not have much time now, she hurried back inside the room where the other crewmembers were. "Get ready, he's coming." Everyone else looked just as excited as she was at that news.

"Uhoh, Dorothy better get in the cellar 'cause the twister's a comin'!" Even Cypher's cocky comment couldn't dampen Trinity's delight. When she merely brushed past him without even a warning glare, he let out in a raspy high pitched voice, "But Auntie Em, where's Toto?" He laughed heartily at his own terrible Judy Garland impersonation, but quickly quieted when Morpheus walked in with Neo right on his heels. 

"Apoc, are we on line?" Morpheus hardly waited for Apoc's response before continuing to explain to the scared looking man at his side what all of it was about. Trinity helped seat him while Morpheus did a double check of the machinery. 

Trinity reached out with a circular vital-signal monitoring hookup and he instinctively drew back from her touch. This surprised her, but she proceeded to attach the others to him while she allowed a trace of a smile for him. He soon quieted, but never fully relaxed. 

"You did all this?" He asked her in an incredulous whisper. 

"Mmhmm." The smile still refused to leave. Had they not been in such a time crunch, especially with this mind, she would've gladly lingered near him as long as she could. Unfortunately, other pertinent things required her attention in order to reinsert his mind into his physical body. 

She watched him discover the mirror with wonder in his wide chocolate irises while Morpheus never ceased to challenge his mind to the limits of disbelief and beyond. He had no idea what was happening when the cool metallic gel replicated, encasing his skin. She desperately desired to offer him some comfort – the condolence she wished someone would've extended to her when she had gone through her own unplugging. Knowing it was really best to do nothing, she resigned to checking her emotions in her head until a later time.

When Neo's mind and RSI had vanished from the Matrix, Morpheus's lips drew into a grin of elation. "We finally found him… The One." He said the words as if trying them out for effect. She had not seen him so truly and blatantly happy in quite some time. The responsibility of his position combined with the stress of a rebel's life weighed heavy on him. He deserved a change of pace. And a reason to believe. They all did. 


	12. Chapter 12

****

Chapter XII

There was such a flurry of activity surrounding anything that had to do with this newly freed mind that it made Trinity's head spin. She could hardly think with all the whispering amongst her crewmates about this prospect. And that was exactly what she needed to do: think. Sorting through her feelings was never her strong point, but right now it seemed overwhelmingly pertinent. 

It seemed that all he wanted was a platonic relationship with all the crewmembers. _Damnit, I thought he knew. Why do I keep getting the impression that he doesn't? How can this be? _She was thoroughly confused about where she stood with him. All she knew was how _she _felt, but figuring out how he felt was a whole other story. 

Just because he was unplugged did not mean she was going to stop watching him, she just had to be a bit more discreet. She had volunteered for watches at all hours of the night when he was still undergoing major physical work to repair his muscles. He was usually unconscious or sedated so she could simply watch him rest and marvel at his beauty. When he was recovered enough to be moved from the medic room, she periodically made stops by his room to bring him his meals. Then, it was easier.

When he was out and about and eating most of meals in the mess hall she could not so easily observe him. He regarded her kindly, but there was little she could detect that was different from how he interacted with the others aboard the Neb. Sure, she caught some stolen glances in her direction, but was it all her imagination? 

At the time when no one, save for Morpheus, was entirely convinced that he was the One it was less formidable for her to have feelings for him. Then when he sparred with Morpheus she watched his skill and speed exceed any she had previously seen in a human. Everyone watched in amazement as he came within mere centimeters of Morpheus's face and she began to wonder if she simply felt obligated to fulfill the Oracle's prophecy. 

All of her apprehensions were forgotten for a moment while she watched him stare in disbelief at Morpheus's seemingly inhuman jump across the gap between the two buildings. "C'mon…" she whispered under her breath as he prepared to do the impossible. He took a running start and made a valiant leap off the ledge of the roof but almost instantly began flailing when he saw he was quickly coming closer to the looming pavement below. It was heart wrenching to watch him thump against the ground after it allowed him only enough leeway to spring back up once more into the air. 

She shook her head and averted her eyes to the ground as Mouse innocently lamented, "But what does it mean?" It was more than she could handle, especially with Cypher's seemingly endless snide comments directed at her interest. She retreated to her room before she had to suffer another blow to her self-esteem, which she could predict, with clockwork accuracy, would come. 

Later, she was in the kitchen serving herself a dish of the not-so-delectable soupy goop Dozer called a meal. She was hunched over on the bench deep in thought when Morpheus walked in. She had not heard him enter, so she started slightly when his deep baritone penetrated her thoughts.

"Well, he didn't make the first jump, but he has great potential for combat." He sighed slightly, catching her eye as he sat down at the bench opposite her. "I guess no one makes it the first time…" 

She knew what he was thinking; they were all having the same thought. It would've just been so much easier to label him as something special if he'd somehow defied logic to make it to the other building on the first leap. Hell, it took _her_ five tries. And she remembered every single smack against the computer-generated pavement as if it had just happened. Just because the asphalt wasn't "real" didn't make it less painful to her body or her ego. Looking up at her captain, she smiled sympathetically. 

"I'm sure it was rough on him too," She spoke wistfully. "Everyone expects something exceptional from him, but he just feels like he's a regular guy." She wasn't quite sure exactly how she _knew_ that, but she could see it in his eyes.

"Mmhmm. I know Trinity, I know exactly what you mean. But there _is_ something exceptional about him, didn't you see it?" She nodded in assent, unwillingly to reveal her feelings. He accepted that and continued, "He will know when he talks to the Oracle. I can feel that this is it. We got it right this time, Trinity." She only smiled, getting up to clean her dish. 

There was silence for a few minutes while she washed her eating utensils along with some others that remained in the sink. When she spoke, it was tentative at first, as though she was unsure of her voice. "I, I think I'll take his dinner in to him. I'm sure he's far too exhausted to come all the way out her to get it." It was Morpheus's turn to smile. He did not have to ask who the "he" she spoke of was. 

Bringing him his dinner had become almost a ritual for her, but it never actually lost its thrilling and unnerving quality. She expected to find him asleep, but hoped the cacophony of the large steel door being hauled open would not wake him. After the immense noise created by the door, it seemed absurd to tip toe in. She did anyway. 

He was so cute when he slept. It surprised her, though little should have by then, that she would ever use a word such as cute. She had been watching him sleep for the past month, but it still never ceased to melt her heart. He looked so vulnerable, even if he was the prophesized "One". She set down the tray beside his bed, squatting down so she was eye-level with his innocent but weary face. For about five seconds she remained in that position, gazing affectionately at him while a half-smile played on her lips. She could've stayed there forever. 

__

I wonder if he knows he's something extraordinary? Does he know his fate, or is there even such a thing as fate? She had been sure about the latter question that drifted through her mind until recently. She had become uncertain about the way he acted around her and it made her question herself. 

Lost in her own pondering, she almost didn't notice the man leaning casually against the wall as she closed the heavy door as quietly as she could. She had managed to avoid him for most of a day that would've warranted even more of his provoking remarks than usual. _Why now?_ She immediately transformed into her defensive cover as she had learned to do in order to deal with Cypher. The more aloof she became, the better she found she could deflect his interrogation. This time she was caught off guard. 

Back in her the safety of her own room, Trinity tried to forget the unnerving encounter with Cypher. She began thinking back over the day's events and the training programs Neo had gone through. She had gone through almost exactly the same programs when she was first freed. The memories were still clear in her mind, even many years later. 

__

She had flown through the combat training and was only a mildly achy to prove she had mastered the skills with flying colors. Her jump, on the other hand, had been less than spectacular, to say the least. She had tried to "free her mind" but wound up freeing herself from the top of the building and making rather sudden introductions with the pavement. To her surprise, though, the asphalt had acted almost like the trampolines she remembered from her days in the Matrix. When she came in contact with the street, that she was sure would cause her more than a few broken bones, it had sunk with her momentum and sprung her back into another free fall. She was not so lucky the second time around, as she quickly found herself lying spread-eagle face down 10 stories below Morpheus. Talk about a bruised body and ego!

After all that, she was not exactly looking forward to going into the Matrix again. What Morpheus says, goes, so she was left with no choice but to do as she was told. She imagined that whatever he had up his sleeve this time could not be too pleasant. 

This time, though, instead of being on top of large skyscraper buildings, they were on the sidewalk below the overpowering buildings that cast their long shadows on them. On the opposite side of the street from them was a mass of business people, civilians, and various other characters that, oddly enough, were all dressed in either black or white. Also, their expressions exactly paralleled their attire in that none of them so much as glanced at Trinity or Morpheus. At the signal of the traffic lights the mob crossed the street as the two other people made their way in the opposing direction of the flow. Morpheus seemed to have no difficulty in dodging the various people, while Trinity struggled to keep him in sight as a multitude of very tall men passed between them. 

They continued on in this manner for about a block with Morpheus explaining about the people in the Matrix and the stream of passing citizens continued without end. Suddenly, a flash of bright blue caught her eye. She immediately jerked her head around to see what it was. Striding past her was a tall, lithe man with his brown hair nicely ruffled by the wind and his blue eyes sparkling in the reflection of the silk dress shirt he wore above black slacks. She gave him a once over, well maybe a twice over, and couldn't help but smile. 

Almost as soon as she'd given him a good look, Morpheus's words broke her concentration, "Trinity, did you hear what I said or were you too distracted by that man?" 

"Well, I…" She looked away and blushed.

"Look again." He gestured in the direction the man had traveled.

She turned quickly around to catch one last glimpse of him only to gasp in horror. Instead of seeing the man in blue she was face to face with the barrel of a gun wielded by an Agent. Her mind froze in terror and her feet were rooted to where she stood. Her panic was almost too much to stand until Morpheus simply said to no one in particular, "Freeze it."

She let out a sigh of relief, then looked at her captain strangely. "How did you… I thought…?"

"You thought it was the Matrix." Morpheus finished her thought. She nodded, looking bewildered. "This is still the construct, it is merely another training program. It is made so that you understand one thing: if you are not one of us, you are one of them." He pointed to the Agent who was still pointing the gun at Trinity. She looked at the man questioningly so he continued. "They are sentient programmers – the machines that control the Matrix. They can move into and out of any program still hardwired to their system. So any of these unwitting people can potentially be an Agent, even your man in blue." He raised a suggestive eyebrow at her. "Unfortunately, this means you are never completely safe while in the Matrix." 

That sounded pretty harsh to Trinity. She looked concerned, but felt a bit better when Morpheus smiled. "But based on your combat training, I think you'll be pretty well prepared," he said. Then she momentarily blacked out before she felt the long, metallic plug being removed from head. She opened her eyes to see Tank smiling at her. 

"So, you were pretty taken with that hunk in the blue shirt, eh?" He chuckled good-naturedly. She couldn't help but laugh too as she punched him playfully in the arm. As she headed back toward her cabin she passed Mouse working at one of the computer stations. He looked up at her and smiled as a greeting. 

"So let me guess, Mouse, you designed the guy in blue as well as the woman in the red dress?" She waggled her eyebrows in his direction at the mention of the woman in red.

"You bet!" He always loved talking about the programs he'd designed especially when they had to do with the woman in red.

"And he is… what? The woman in red's boyfriend or something?" She teased him, knowing what his response would be.

"The woman in red is most definitely still single! He's just, um, a friend." They both laughed at his ardent defense of the woman in red's availability. 

She yawned and was suddenly overcome with exhaustion. "Well, I'm going to go get some rest, I'm beat." She turned to head toward her room and heard him say something else.

"Well I could arrange a much more personalized meeting if you'd like…" Mouse's words faded into nothingness as she neared her cabin door. She could've finished the sentence for him though. Digital pimp, hard at work_, she thought of Switch's catch phrase for him with a smirk._


	13. Chapter 13

****

Chapter XIII

A few nights later Trinity lay on her cot, willing sleep to come to her. She was tired but couldn't seem to fall asleep with all the thoughts that ran through her head. Her mind never seemed to rest - there was always something new to ponder and mull over. She didn't recall the mental stimulation ever being so intense in the Matrix, before she was freed. She supposed that was just the way the machines designed it: the less people think, the less they figure out. She had figured it out, though, and never once regretted it. 

Her heartbeat slowed and her breathing grew soft as she was lulled into sleep in spite of her never-ending thoughts. Within moments, though, she was hauled mercilessly from the depths of sleep. The jarring click of a latch opening and the screeching of the large steel door as it was hastily pulled open invaded her peaceful slumber. Trinity almost leapt out of her skin. 

A very disheveled looking Neo hesitated in her doorway for a moment. He took a step into her room and then shut the door behind him. Biting his lower lip, he sighed loudly and averted his eyes to the floor. 

"Neo, are you alright?" Trinity tried to keep her voice low, but her surprise and concern made her almost shout the words. She rushed to his side as his brown eyes looked meekly up at her from under his long lashes. 

"I… yeah. I mean no… not really." His voice was gruff and low as he battled with his pride.

"What's wrong?" she asked more softly this time, placing a hand on his back. He reluctantly allowed her to lead him over to her bed where they sat down. They sat in silence for a while as Neo studied his hands but did not offer any answer to her question. Finally, Trinity coaxed him again, "Neo… what happened?" She looked directly at him until he looked up to meet her gaze.

"I… I'm not quite sure. I just… I saw Morpheus in a dream." His voice was broken and tired. She reached for his hand to comfort him and he didn't resist. She held his one hand between her two and stroked it with her thumbs, admiring its delicacy and beauty. He was talking. That was good enough for her, so she let him take his time. "Morpheus… he… they got him. I … I, er, there was nothing I could do. It all happened so fast and it was so… so _real_." 

"Who got him?" She knew immediately who "they" were, but she asked anyway. He sighed, a forlorn look coming over his face.

"The Agents." Fear gripped her as though he were speaking of a factual event. A thousand different and equally horrible scenarios ran through her mind of what they would do to Morpheus if they got a hold of him. She closed her eyes for a second to block out the impeding fear, calming herself by realizing that it was only a dream. 

__

Only a dream? Only a dream?! Her conscious screamed at her. Her own dreams had been eerily accurate in portraying the man she was now sitting next to. Yet she ignored the blatant truth. She ignored it because the truth would not console this man so shaken by his nightmare. She ignored it because the truth was, well, true. And she did not want his dream to come true. 

She saw he was watching her, waiting for her reaction, but she was at a loss. She had done battle with her conscious though she wasn't quite sure who had won. His eyes pleaded with her for condolence. She released her hold on his hand and enveloped him in a warm embrace. She knew it wasn't only he who was seeking comfort. 

She inhaled his scent and it made her stomach flutter. She buried her face in his neck, drawing in his heat. He rested the side of his head against her ear, feeling her hair tickle his face. They breathed deeply, drawing in a peaceful calm as they drew in each other. They remained like that for a length of time that neither of them knew. All they knew was that was all they needed right then.

***

"Dozer, bring the ship up to broadcast level. I'm taking Neo to see her," Morpheus's authoritative tenor broke through her pondering of the goo they called sustenance that she was trying to digest. With evident wonder and interest, everyone's eyes were trained on Neo. He was the only one at the table who did not know who their captain spoke of. 

"To see who?" He asked quietly to no one in particular.

"The Oracle." Tank supplied. His eyes were wide with awe and his voice incredulous at the mere mention of that name.

She was secretly excited for him. She knew he would be nervous too. In an effort to reassure him that it was nothing to be scared of, she prompted him to finish his meal before they headed out to the core. He obliged by stirring the slush around and halfheartedly putting a few bites in his mouth. All the while Mouse chattered away, reminding Trinity of his rodent counterpart. 

Once in the Matrix, she watched through tinted windows as the surreal computer programmed world went. She did not really see it, though. Her thoughts were on Neo and what the Oracle might tell him. She already knew the answer to Morpheus's question, not in her mind, but in her heart. The Oracle had hit the mark exactly for her… well, so far. She still didn't understand some of the things she had been told by the cryptic prophecy. 

A glance at Neo told her he, too, was wrapped up in thought or was mesmerized by the passing scene. She remembered how strange it had seemed to her on her first time back in the Matrix after she was freed. It had been so unreal that she had to pinch herself to be convinced that she was merely walking in a dream, but not dreaming. She did not have to wonder about Neo long, though.

"Hey, I used to eat there!" He exclaimed, pointing out the window. Realizing how foolish he must've sounded he added quietly, and not a bit wistfully, "Really good noodles." She had to smile at his naïve attachment to his life in the Matrix. He asked her some questions about his life that was still so clear in his mind. Without missing a beat, she responded with words of wisdom but he seemed too bewildered to really take in their meaning.

When asked about her visit to the Oracle, Trinity was at a loss for words. She did not want to reveal the truth of the words spoken to her that day. She knew her heart would not lie, but she did not want to burden him. More importantly, she did not want to take anything away from the Oracle's message that he was yet to receive. She grappled for a way to change the subject, or at least lower the lump rising in her throat. To her ultimate relief, the car came to a stop and Morpheus informed them they had indeed arrived.

As Morpheus escorted Neo into the run-down apartment complex, Cypher turned in his seat to face her. "So what _did_ the Oracle tell you, huh Trin?" His voice oozed apathetic sarcasm. He had obviously been eavesdropping on her conversation in the backseat while he drove. 

"You know that's none of your business," she replied coldly, her eyes becoming blue ice as they met his vapid ones. She turned away in disdain as his lips curled up to reveal his teeth in a sickeningly wicked grin. He didn't give a shit about anything real. He never had. _That self-absorbed pig_ she said to herself vehemently. 

She soon calmed down with thoughts of Neo, though. While still remaining on alert for danger, she let herself drift into thought to tune out the nuisance sitting in the driver's seat.


	14. Chapter 14

****

Chapter XIV

"Whoa. Déjà vu." He shook his head in a sort of bemused and bewildered state. 

Everyone stopped in their tracks, frozen in time for a millisecond until Trinity demanded, "What?"

"It's nothing. Just had a little déjà vu, that's all," he replied non-chalantly. His expression grew immediately concerned as the other members of the resistance exchanged distressed glances. "What is it?"

"A déjà vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something," she answered curtly, not allowing her own sense of impending doom to interrupt her defense-mode. 

His eyes grew wide, even though the severity of the situation did not sink in fully. He could sense something though. He replayed the circumstance of seeing the duplicate black cats through his mind again as Morpheus barked orders and they raced up the stairs. He noticed something he'd merely dismissed before. When he had turned to continue his ascent up the stairs after seeing the first cat, he caught a flash of green out of the corner of his eye, which made him turn back again in time to see the second cat go by. He had no idea what to make of it but made a mental note to ask Trinity later. 

"You have to get Neo out! He's all that matters!" Morpheus's strained and hoarse voice carried to Neo's ears inside the wall. He wanted to burst out of his confinement and kick the asses of all the Agents who were doing this to the man who had freed him. As the Oracle's words rang in his mind, he felt like he could've done some serious ass kicking too. He yelled something, but was not completely sure what, before a hand grasped his ankle and threw his weight down the narrow shaft of the wall interior. He felt the boards break as he fell into them but all he could see was the image of Morpheus, lying beaten and bloody on the floor of the bathroom. _Damnit!_ He wanted to scream, though he had no choice but to follow Trinity as they found an exit out of the building. 

Trinity's mind raced as she led her remaining three crewmembers to safety. Neo's dream had been far more real than either of them wanted to acknowledge. Had he had similarly correct dreams in the past… like her own? She almost dared not finish her own train of thought. She had thought he knew; hoped he knew, but it didn't seem likely. Until now. 

***

"Trinity, I'm not the One." The matter-of-fact words hit her harder than a swift punch in the gut.

"But, you have to be." Her response sounded meek and unconvincing, even to herself. She hadn't known what else to say in her shock at his denial. 

"Sorry, I'm just a regular guy. The Oracle hit me with that, too." _Too? What else had the Oracle mislead him to believe? _In her shock she mistrusted the revered guide's words. 

"No. That's not true. It can't be," _Tell him! _She pleaded with her brain, but couldn't bring herself to say anything more.

"Why not?" Her shock became anger as he turned away from her after she offered no response. Anger at herself for missing yet another chance to tell him, anger at the Oracle for messing with her own feelings, and anger at Neo for believing the Oracle and not himself. She mentally kicked herself before turning to follow him. 

As she punched numbers into her stat screen, she thought of how long she'd known she loved him. _Damnit, Trinity why are you so afraid?! Why can't you even face your emotions? I mean, hell, you're going on a suicide mission with the one you love and you _know_ damn well he's The One and you haven't got the guts to tell him. What the hell is wrong with you?! _She was pulled away from her mind's self-destruction when she felt him turn to face her. 

"What are you doing?" he asked in disbelief.

"I'm coming with you." She answered through teeth clenched in self-loathing.

"No you're not." He replied with authority that was self-evidence to him being the One. In his resolve, he didn't seem to notice.

"Oh no? Well, let me tell you something that I believe. _I_ believe Morpheus means more to me than he does to you. I believe if you were _really_ serious about saving him, you are _going_ to need my help. And since I _am_ the ranking officer on this ship, _if_ you don't like it I believe you can go to Hell because you're not going anywhere else." The staccato of words flew out of her mouth with the anger that had been welling up inside her. She had meant every word too, except that she felt like _she_ should be the one burning in the fires of Hades, not him. At any rate, she'd proved that she could exert authority too, and it shut him up with his guilty conscience about losing Morpheus. She knew the capture of their leader had been the work of a traitor, not Neo, but it was too difficult to reason with him. 


	15. Chapter 15

****

Chapter XV

They had done the impossible. It had worked because it had never been done before, just as Neo had said it would. 

And it was all because of Neo. That thought wrenched at Trinity's insides like nothing she had ever felt before. None of this would have been possible without his stubborn determination, and now he was lying crumpled on the floor with six bullet holes through his chest and a bloodstain on the wall behind him. His vital stats had gone flat, showing no sign of life. 

_Oh God, it's not true! It can't be true. _

"Do you believe it now Trinity?" She did, oh God how she did believe. 

"There's something I have to tell you, but I don't know what it could mean if I do…" Why the hell hadn't she told him? Or even started what she couldn't finish? She was such a coward! 

"You will not only be a big part in his life… you will BE his life. Your strength is going to be greatly tested in his time of need, but it will be yours as well. For love is stronger than death itself and my dear, you will be in love." Now she understood the Oracle's words. Now_ of all times, when it was too late! _

But was it too late? She felt the strength welling up inside her because she _was_ in love. _Now _she knew it was that time. The time the Oracle had spoken of. No, she was not just in love: she was in love with _the One._ She had known that so long ago, even in her sleep. And that was the difference between life and death. 

All these thoughts rushed through her head faster than the speed of light, some of them jumbled and confused, but suddenly everything was completely clear and she began to speak as she leaned over Neo's body. The One's body. 

"Neo," she began tentatively, picking up strength as she went along, her voice soft as the whisper of a rose petal caressing the skin, "I'm not afraid anymore. The Oracle told me… She told me that I would fall in love and that man… the man that I loved would be the One. So you see? You can't be dead… you can't be. Because _I love you._ You hear me? _I love you_." She lowered her mouth to his, and at every level of her consciousness she poured all the life she had into him through that kiss. 

_Now_ they had done the impossible! But as his eyes fluttered open, she had ceased to be surprised because "_love is stronger than death itself_" and she was in love. 

"Now _get up_!" She ordered him as though he had not just survived a suicide mission and then came back from the dead. But he did get up. Yes, he got up and proved to himself what she knew for sure. 

"He is the One." Morpheus watched the screen incredulously as Neo stopped bullets in mid-air and completely demolished an Agent. Trinity could only smile to herself about what she knew to be truer than anything that is in the Matrix or even the Real World. 

***

The emotions Trinity felt were so strange and alien to her, but at the same time she felt more comfortable and relaxed than she'd ever been. _So this is the destiny of love_ she realized as she was thinking about all of her crazy feelings. _Destiny…_That word made her remember something, something that she hadn't really ever forgotten, couldn't have forgotten, but just simply had set aside for a time. She had known that she and Neo were destined to be together, but did he? 

She was pulled out of her pondering by something tightening around her waist. She initially tensed up, but then relaxed when she felt the warmth at her back and around her middle. 

"You're here." He said simply, his voice gruff from sleepiness mixed with surprise. She smiled instinctively and it felt so nice. She turned over onto her other side to face him. He looked a little bewildered and so damn cute with his hair, which was now starting to grow out, all rumpled and messy. She closed her eyes as he leaned toward her and kissed her nose, murmuring, "You're finally here when I wake up."

"Of course I'm here, Neo. I'll always be here when you wake up. What makes you think I wouldn't be?" She wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but she was beginning to feel an inkling of what he meant. _Perhaps he did know after all…_

He sat up a little and propped his head in the side of his hand so he could look straight at her. She sat up a little too as he began to speak. "What seems like a long time ago, although I don't really know anything about time anymore, I had these dreams every night. You were in my dreams, but I didn't know who you were then. You were just this angel; this beautiful being that kept me company through my restless sleep. And yet, your image would always fade away when I woke up. Then you found me again, this time when I was awake. I… I didn't know what to make of it because I was so damned cocky to think that I was totally in control of my own life." Trinity started to say something then, but he silenced her with a single finger and she resigned to biting her lower lip to hold in the joy at what he was telling her. "When Morpheus asked me if I believed in fate, I felt certain my answer would always be no. But now I'm not so sure." 

Trinity could no longer contain her happiness - he _did_ know! It was just too much, so she just took him in her arms and kissed him. All the while she could not stop smiling. Nothing in her life had made her feel this elated. 

The two lovers talked far into the night as Trinity told him of her own dreams and her dismay at thinking that he didn't know of their fate. Neo shared his own inner torments about being attracted to her, and more about his past. On and on they went, growing farther and farther into love with each other. Finally, when the sun would have been dawning in the Matrix world, Trinity fell asleep, still basking in the glow of romance. 

"Trinity…?" he whispered her name so softly that she would've dismissed it as the wind had they not been on the ship. A strong sense of déjà vu engulfed her, but she knew this was not a glitch. It was very, _very_ real. "I love you." He finished what she'd known he wanted to say all those years ago. 


End file.
